Automatic car-heating system



May 12, 192s. 1,537,141

E. A. RUSSELL AUTOMATIC CAR HEATING SYSTEM Original Filed lay 1. 1922fnxferdf):

Patented May 12, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE] EIJW'ARD A. RUSSELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOR TO VAPOR CAR HEATING COMPANY, INC, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AGORPORATIQN 913 NEW YORK.

AUTOMATIC CAR HEATING SYSTEM.

Application filed May 1, 1922, Serial No. 557,551.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. RUSSELL, I a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Car- I-IeatingSystems, of which the following is a specification.

'My invention relates toa car heating system which is automaticallycontrolled to maintain a normal living temperature inthe car duringperiods of occupancy, that is, when the car is coupled up with alocomotive or is standing at aterminal station, and to establish andmaintain a lower temperature, sufficient to keep water pipes andfixtnres from, freezing, when the car is out off from'the locomotive andis standing in a railroad yard, for example, with its steam train pipeconnected with a" stationary source of supply of steam.

The system of control contemplated by this invention is speciallyadapted for a low pressure or vapor type of, steam heating apparatusemploying an automatically governed radiator valve which when closed,that is, when in position to shut off inflow of steam to the radiator,opens a drain port on the radiator side of the valve through which waterof condensation may escape from the radiator. A control system of thissort is described in my co-pending application SerialNo. 434,179 filedDecember 31," 1920, and it contemplates having the steanr train pipe ofthe car connected with a source of steam supply in the yard or terminalwhenever, during cold weather, the car is cut off from the locomotive. Ipen, however, that the car when taken to the yard is not connected upwith the steam sup ply pipe and when such is the case, if the valvehappens to be left open so that its drain pipe is closed (which willdepend upon the car temperature at the time the car is cut oil) or ifthe valve, though closed at the time, is subsequently opened, anto-'matically, through operation of the control mechanism, opportunity willbe given for water to trap in the valve and freeze. To avoid this mypresent invention provides a It may hap- Renewed November 26, 1924.

device which operates automatically, in such contingencies, to move thevalve from its open to its closed and draining position.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a diagramn'iatic view of the heating system asa whole, the radiator valve being shown in the open position.

Fig. 2 is a detail view of the radiator valve showing the same in closedposition, and l Fig. 3 is a view, on a largerscale, illustrating thethermostatic attachment on the steam train pipe for closing the radiatorvalve in'the contingencies before mentioned.

Referring to the drawing, A designates the steam train pipe of a railwaycar provided with a radiator which is shown as consisting of two pipecoils B andC. D is a four-way valve for controlling the flow of steamthrough the radiator, and Band F are motors for closing and opening thevalve. G is a vapor regulator, so-called, for reducing inflow ofsteam tothe radiator in accordance with the temperature of the medium outflowingtherefrom, this device being of'common construction and requiring no.detailed description. H is a limit switch for breaking the circuitsthrough motors E and F as soon as the valve has been moved from oneposition to the other. J is a relay, the position of the armature ofwhich determines whether motor E or motor F is energized under certainoperating conditions. K is a thermostat located in the car which is putinto control of the system, when the ear is disconnected from thelocomotive, to maintain the car atmosphere at a relatively lowtemperature, for example, 50 Fahrenheit. L is a similar thermostat whichis put into control of the system when the car is connected with thelocomotive to maintain the car atmosphere at a normal livingtemperature, say 7 0 Fahrenheit. hf isa selector switch whether theheating system shall be controlled by low temperature thermostat K orhigh temperature thermostat 'L, the switch M being, in effect, an airand spring motor,-the moving part of which is moved in one direction byair pressure derived for determining from the airbralre or signal trainline, that is to say, switch M is actuated through air pressure in oneof the air train lines when the car is operatively connected with thelocomotive to put the high temperature thermostat L in control of theheating system. Vi hen air disappears from the train line, as willhappen when the car is cut ott from the locomotive, selector switch Mopcrates automatically to put the low temperature thermostat K incontrol of the system. The selector switch can be manually set to thehigh temperature position, when there is no air pressure in the airtrain line, so that the car may be heated to normal temperature when itis standing in a terminal station. N is a master switch for disablingthe entire control system. Q- designates the battery or other source oisupply of current, 'and R a circuit breaker arranged on the train pipe Kwhich, through the cooling of the train pipe incident to thedisconnection of the car from the locomotive, operates to bring aboutthe closing of the radiator valve or to prevent said valve, it closed,at the time the car is cut oil from the train, from being subsequentlyopened, it it hapi pens that the steam train pipe of the car, in-

stead of being connected with a stationary yard or terminal steam line,is left unsupplied with steam. Theclosing of the valve involves, asstated above, the opening of a drain port onthe radiator side ot' thevalve through which water of condensation in the radiator may outflowinstead cl? being trapped in. the valve. 1

Operation: The parts ot the apparatus,

shown in l ig. l, are in the positions which they assume when the car iscut oil from the locomotive but supplied with steam from the yard orterminal steam line and with the car temperature below that at which lowtemperature thermostat K, now incontrol oi the system. set to function.that is to say, the car temperature is below 50 l alu'euheit. The steamtram line A is hot and thermostat- R- associated therewith is expandedto break the circuit which it con-o trols. The relay J is energized toraise its armature by a circuit as follows:

Circuit No. 1. \Vire 11 fronrbattery Q, arm l of switch l wire 13,resistance 14-, relay (l, wire 15, arm 16 ot switch N, and wire ii tobattery Q.

Valve l) is open and steam flows through I the radiator and itsconnections as tollows:

t team train line A, pipe 18, pressure reducing valve '19 of the vaporregulator G, pipe 20, chamber 21 ot radiator valve D, duct 22 ot therotatable valve member of valve 11 chamber 2d of the valve, inlet pipe25 of primary coil B, return pipe 26 of coil B, inlet-pipe 2T otcoil 0,return pipe 28 of coil C, chamber 29, duct 30 and chamber 31 of valve1), and pipe 32 to the thermostat post 48,

valve chamber 3 1 and through a water seal duct 35 to chamber 81 andthrough pipe 32 to the thermostat chamber 33 of the vapor regulator.

lVhen the temperature of the car reaches the temperature for which lowtemperature thermostat K is set, that is to say, when the mercury column36 of thermostat K touches contact 37, acircuit is closed throughthermostat K which diverts enough current from the circuitcontainingrelay .l and resistance 14 (circuit No. 1) so that the relay J drops itsarmature lO thereby closing a circuit through motor F to cause the motorto close valve D. The circuit through the low temperature thermostat Kis as follows:

Circuit No. 2. Circuit No. 1 to binding post 38, wire- 39, mercurycolumn 36 of thermostat K, contact 8T,-wire 4L0, spring contact 4-1 ofthe selector switch M, contact plate 42 onthe movable member 44-3 01"selector switch M, spring contact 44, wire to wire 15 and thence, asincircuit No. 1, to the battery.

Armature 10 of relay J falls on the contacts 4C6, 47. closing theaforementioned circuit through motor F, as follows:

, Circuit No. Circuit .No. 1 to binding wire ll), wire 50, solenoid coil51. of motor l wire 52, spring contact 5?; of the limit switch H,contact: plate 5% ot the limit switch member 55, contact spring 56. wire57, contact 4L6, armature 10 of: relay J, contact l", wire 58 to wire15, and thence by circuit No. 1 to the battery.

, Motor F actuated to close valve l), the

.core 59 of the motor being engaged at ()0 with a lever (ll on therotatable valve member 23 of valve 1). Fig. 2 shows-the closed positionof valve 1). Steam from pipe 20 passes directly *l rom valve chamber9,], to valve chamber 31 and to thecthermoslat chamber 33 ot the vaporregulator (i lhrouglrpipe 32, short circuitiug the radi ator coils P)and (l. The radiator pipes 525, E26 and 28 of the coils drainihrmrghvalve chambers lei, 3i and-29, all of which are in communication.with*alvc chamber (as from which leads a drain pipe (39 tbvilch memberotithe limit switch ll is engaged by .an arm 64: on the valve member 23so that shown in Fig. 1.

consequence of this relay-T will be energized to'attract its armature 10(circuit No. 1) so as to bring the armature 10 against contacts 66, 67,closing a circuit throughthe motor E as follows: I

Circuit No. 4. Circuit No. 3 to binding post 68 (between wires 49 and50), wire 69, coil 70 or" motor E, wire 71, spring contact 72, of limitswitch H, contact plate 73 ot' the limit switch member 55, springcontact 74-, wire 75, contact66, armature 1.0 of the relay J, contact67, wire 58 to wire 15, and thence by circuit No. 1 to the battery.

The arrangement of the momentary circuit ust described through motor Erestores the parts of the apparatus to the positions Valve D is opened,the limit switch H thereupon breaking the circuit through motor E byinterposing be tween spring contacts 72, 74 the insulating block 76 onlimit switchmen iber 55. v

It will now be assumed that the car is operatively coupled with alocomotive so that air under pressure is conducted from,

the air train line of the train (the signal line or air brake trainline) through pipe 77 to the cylinder 78 of the selector switch M. Themovable member 43 of the selector switch is moved to the left (Fig. 1)so that spring contacts 41, 44: are separated by the insulating block79. This puts the low temperature thermostat out of control by breakingits circuit (circuit No. 2) at the selector switch. Assuming that thecar temperature is below that to which the high temperature thermostat Lis set, 70 Fahrenheit, for example, the parts of the control apparatus,except for the selector switch, will remain as shown in Fig. 1, that isto say, relay J- will be energized and valve D open. The car temperaturewill be raised to the normal temperi-iture of occupancy, 70 F ahrcnheit,whereupon the mercury column 80 of high temperature thermostat L willreach contact 81, closing a circuit through the high tem- 'ieraturethermostatL and deenergizing relay J. The circuit through the hightemperature thermostat L is as follows:

Circuit No. 5. Circuit No. 2 through wire 39 to mercury column 80 ofthermostat L, contact 81, wire 82, wire L to wire 15, and thence as incircuits N0. 1 and No. 2 to the battery.

Relay J is deenergized, dropping its armature to contacts 46, "i7 and. amomentary circuit is thereby established through motor F (circuit No. 3)to close the valve 1). If the ten'iperature thereafter falls below 70Fahrenheit the circuit through thermostat L (circuit No. '5) is brokenat the thermostat, relay J is energized, and a momentary circuitestablished through the motor E (circuit No. 4) to re-open the valve.

lVhe-n the car m cut off from the locomotive and isstanding, forexample, at a tercuit No. at this point.

minal with the steam train. line connected with. a steam supply pipe,the high tempera-- ture thermostat may be put in control of the systemby manual ope *ation of the selector switch M. This enables the car tobe heated to the temperature of occupancy before the locomotive isattached to the train. The movable members?) of the ,elector switch forthe low temperature control is held against a spring stop 88 by a spring8% backed up against a stationary abutment 85. By releasing the springstop 83 the switch member will move to the right against the head ofcylinder 78 inserting an insulating block 80 between the spring contacts17., 4:41. The low temperature thermostat. K is thus disabled by thebreaking of its circuit (cir- T he spring stop 83 bears upon the top ofthe outer. end of the selector switch member so that as soon as air isintroduced into cylinder 78 incident to the coupling of the train withthe locomotive, the switch men'iber will be moved to its extreme lefthand position with spring contacts 4-1, 44; on the insulating block 79,the spring stop 83 dropping back to its normal position in readiness toreestablish the low ten'iperature thermostat circuit as soon as airpressuredisappears from the cylinder 78; l

I shall next describe the device for insuring the closing of valve D,with the opening of the radiator drain incident thereto, in case the caris cut ofi from the locomotive steam supply without being connected witha yard or terminal steam supply. In such case, it may be said, the waterin the radiator, even if valve D were open, could find an exit, to acertain extent at least, through pipes and (note the sealing ductconnecting valve chamber fitivith valve chamber 31) but practicalexperience has shown that the drainage of the reuliator cannot besatisfactorily established, at least in severe weather, with the valvestanding in its open position because of the danger of the waterfreezing in valve D.

It will be observed that even it the valve D be closed at the time thecar is cut olt from the locomotive, the valve will be opened again bythe encrgization oi relay J soon as the car temperature falls low enoughto break the circuit through the low temperature thermostat (circuit No.2). Before this the high temperature thermostat circuit (circuit No.will, of course, have been broken. It the car is put out of service withits temperature between and Fahrenheit, the low temperature thermostatcircuit will be closed to deenergize the relay J and. bring about aclosing of the radiator valve D, but this condition will last only untilthe car temperature falls below 50 Fahrenheit whereupon valve D willagain be opened. In any case, valve I) will eventually be opened and,quite possibly, this may happen before the radiating coils havecompletely drained.

To meet this condition the thermostat It is arranged on or adjacent thesteam train pipe A. I have shown the thermostat R as consisting of anarc member 87 and a chord member 88 of greater expansibility than thearc member. The thermostat is attached to the pipe in any suitablemanner. For example, it may be mounted on a metal block 89, insulation90 being interposed between the chord member 88 and the block and theblock clamped to the pipe A by U bolts 91.

92 is the terminal on the chord member and 93 a contact against whichthe are member is adapted to hear when the chord member contracts, thatis to say, when train pipe A is not under steam and cold. The circuit 29controlled by thermostat It is, therefore,

open whenever the car is receiving steam either from the locomotive orfrom the yard or terminal steam pipe. It is closed only when the car isnot being heated. Assuming that the car is in this condition with valvebinding post 92, wire 96 to binding post 97, wire 45, wire 15 and thencetollowing circuit No. l to the battery.

The closing of the circuit just described a will have the same etlect asthe closing of the circuit through the low temperature thermostat(circuit No. 2) namely, relay J will be deenergized dropping itsarmature on contacts 46. 47. This will energize motor I (circuit No. 3)to close valve D. Valve D will remain closed so long as current flowsover circuit No. (3, that is to say,

so long as pipe A remains cold. As soon as pipe A is heated byintroduction of steam thereto circuit N0. 6 is broken at 93 andthermostat It is made in-ei'l'ective and the parts of the controllingapparatus restored either to the positions which they assume withthermostat K in control or the posi tions which they assume withthermostat L in control, dependent upon the operation of selector switchM.

As it is realized that my invention might be practiced by apparatusdi'fi'erently constructed than that shown and described, I wish it to beunderstood that the invention includes all modifications of suchapparatus within the scope of the appended claims. The term train pipeis used to denote any suitable conduit to supply the car heating meanswith steam.

I claim:

mama-1 1. In a. steam heating system for a railway car provided with asteam train pipe, heating means connected with the train pipe to receivesteam therefrom, and mechanism comprising a heat sensitive elementinfluenced by the temperature of the train pipe for opening a drainageoutlet for water of condensation from the heating means on cessation ofsteam supply to the train pipe.

2. In a steam heating system for a railway car provide-d with a steamtrain pipe, heating means connected with the train pipe to receive steamtherefrom, and provided with a drainage outlet for water ofcondensation, and mechanism actuated when the train pipe is suppliedwith steam to close said outlet and when steam is cut oil from the trainpipe to open said outlet, which mechanism comprises a heat sensitiveelement influenced by the temperature of the train pipe.

3. In a steam heating system tor a railway car provided with a steamtrain pipe, heating means connected with the train pipe to receive steamtherefrom, a valve to close comn'iunication between the train pipe andheating means provided with a drainage outlet in communication with theheating means which is open when the valve is closed, and controlmechanism for operating said valve comprising a thcrn'iostat associatedwith the train pipe which actuates such controlling mechanism to closesaidvalve and open the drain outlet when steam supply to the train pipeceases.

4t. In a steam heating system for a railway car provided with a steamtrain pipe, heating means connected with the train pipe to receive steamtherefrom, a valve to close communication between the train pipe andheating means provided with a drainage outlet in conmmnication with theheating means which is open when the valve is closed, a thermostat inthe car, and mechanism actuated thereby for opening and closing saidvalve, and a thermostat associated with the train pipe which oncessation of steam supply to the train pipe eliects the closing ot saidvalve.

In a steam heating system for a railway car provided with a steam trainpipe, heating means connected with the train pipe to receive steamtherefrom, a valve to close communication between the train pipe andheating means provided with a drainage outlet in connnunicalion with theheating means which is open when the valve is closed, and

iechanism for opening and closing said valve comprising a thermostat inthe car which opens the valve at a determined low temperature therein,and a thermostat associated with the train'pipe which closes the valveon cessation of steam supply to the train pipe.

6. In a steam heating system for a railway which breaks a circuit to etlfect the opening,

of the valve at a determined low temperature therein, and a circuitmaking and breaking thermostat associated with the train pipe whichmakes a circuit and thereby etiects the closin of said valve oncessation of steam supply to the train pipe.

7. In a steam heating system for a railway car provided with a steamtrain pipe, heating means connected with the train pipe to receive steamtherefrom, a valve to close communication between the train pipe andheating means provided with a drainage outlet in communication with theheating means which is open when the valve is closed, and eleetriaillyoperated mechanism for opening and closing said valve comprising a relaywhich is energized and deenergized to open and close the valve, acircuit making and breaking thermostat in the car which controls acircuit that when made diverts current from the relay circuit todcenergize the relay, and a circuit making and breaking thermostatassociated with the train pipe which controls a circuit that when made,diverts current from the relay to deenergize the same.

S. In a steam heating system for a railway car provided with a steam.train pipe, heatmg means connected with the train pipe to receive steamtherefrom, a valve to close comn'iunieation between the train pipe andheating means provided with adrainage outlet in communication with theheating means which is open when the valve is closed, electricallyoperated mechanism for opening and closing said valve comprising a relaywhich is energizer to open said valve and on deenergization closes thesame, a circuit making and breaking thermostat in shunt with the relaywhich n'iakes its circuit on rise oi car temperature, diverting currentfrom the relay, and deeuergizing the same, and a circuit making andbreaking theri'nostat associated with the train pipe arranged in shuntwith the relay and other thermostatwhich, in the absence of steam in thetrain pipe, closes its circuit to deenergize the relay and thereby bringabouta closing of the valve.

9. In a. steam heating system for a railway car provided with a steamtrain pipe, a radiator in the car, a valve to open and closecommunication between the train pipe and radiator, which valve providesa drainage outlet for the radiator that is open when the valve is inclosing position, motors to open ate the valve in opposite directions, arelay utocontrol current supply to said motors alternatively, a circuitmaking and breaking thermostat in the car which controls a circuit thatwhen made diverts current from the relay and deenergizes the same, and acircuit making and breaking thermostat associated with the train pipecontrolling circuit that, when made, diverts current from said relay todeenergize the same.

10. In a steam heating system for a railway car provided with a steamtrain pipe, a radiator in the car, a valve to open and closecommunication between the train pipe and radiator, which valve providesa drainage outlet for the radiator that is open (when the valve is inclosing position, motors to operate the valve in opposite directions, arelay which when energized operates one of said motors to open saidvalve and when deenergized operates the other, motor to close saidvalve, a circuit making and breaking thermostat in the car in shunt withsaid relay and controlling a circuit which, when made, deenergizes saidrelay, and a circuit making and breaking thermostat associated with thetrain pipe in shunt with the relay and the other thermostat which oncessation of steam supply to the train pipe closes a circuit thatdeenenergizes the relay.

11. In a steam heating system for a rail way car, provided with a steamtrain pipe, a radiator in the car, a valve to open and closecommunication between the train pipe and radiator, which valve providesa drainage outlet for the radiator that is open when the valve is inclosing position,,motors to operate. the valve in opposite directions, a

relay which whenenergized operates one oi said motors to open said valveand when deenergized operates the other motor to close said valve, a lowtemperature circuit making and breaking thermostat which on rise of cartemperature 'deenergizes the relay, a high temperature circuitmakingjaud breaking thermostat functioning at a higher ,temperature thanthe first named thermostat, to

deenergize said relay, a selector switch by means of which one or theother of said thermostats is put in control of the system, and a circuitmaking and breaking thermostat associated with said train pipe fordeenergizing the relay on cessation of steam supply to the train pipe.

'12. In a steam heating system for a railway car provided with a steamtrain pipe, heating means connected with the train pipe to receive steamtherefrom, a valve to control the flow of steam to the heating meanswhich when in closing position provides an outlet for water ofcondensation from the heating means,and controlling mechanism for saidvalve comprising a thermostat in whereby one or to a relatively loivpoint-to close the valve, a thermostat functionlngat a higher-cartempeature to close said valve, means the other of said ther mostats'maybe put in control of the system, and means; actuated on cessation ofsteam supply to the train pipe for effecting the closing of said valve.

13. In a steam heating system for a railway car provided with a steamtrain pipe,'

heating means, a valve to control the flow of steam to said heating;means which in closing position provides an outlet for water ofcondensation from the heating'means, andcontrolling means for operatingsaid valve comprising two thermostats for effecting the closing of thevalve, one of which is located inthe car and functions on rise of thecar temperature and the other of which is associated with the steamtrain pipe and functions on cessation of steam" supply to said'trainpipe. 1

14;. In a steam heating system for a'rail- Way car, the combination of asteam train pipe, a radiator in the car, a valve to controlcommunication between the train pipe and radiator having a drainageoutlet which is open When=the valve is in position to closecommunication between the radiator and train pipe, an electric circuitbreaking thermostat to govern the movements of said valve, and anelectric circuit breaking thermostat influenced by the temperature ofthe train pipe and arrangedto close its circuit when the train pipe iscold to short circuit the first named thermostat and to break itscircuit when the train pipe is under steam.

EDlVARD- A. RUSSELL.

